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RingCentral forwards to external numbers through Call Handling & Forwarding on a user extension. There’s one structural limitation worth knowing before you start, because it determines where you make the change.
Read How call forwarding works first — it covers choosing a mode and the caller-ID check that matters on every provider.

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Before you start

  • Your Recepta.ai number, from Phone numbers in the dashboard
  • Admin access to the RingCentral Admin Portal
  • Which extension your main business number actually rings
You cannot forward to an external number from the Auto-Receptionist. External forwarding is a user-extension feature.In most RingCentral accounts the public number lands on an auto-receptionist rather than a person, so this catches people out constantly — the setting simply isn’t there to find. If that’s your setup, route the auto-receptionist to a user extension first, then set the external forward on that extension.

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Set up forwarding

1

Open the Admin Portal

Sign in at service.ringcentral.com — the Admin Portal, not the regular app view.
2

Go to Users → User List

Select the user whose extension receives your main business calls.
3

Open Call Handling & Forwarding

On that user, open Call Handling & Forwarding.
4

Add the external number

Enable forwarding and choose Contact or phone number, then enter your Recepta.ai number and set the number type.
5

Choose when it forwards

Forward all incoming calls immediately, or only when the line is busy or unanswered. For no-answer forwarding, give your team about 15–20 seconds first.
6

Ring sequentially, not simultaneously

RingCentral can ring forwarded phones simultaneously or in sequence. Choose sequential, with Recepta.ai last — see below.
7

Preserve the original caller ID

Set forwarded calls to present the original caller’s number rather than your company number.
8

Save and test from a mobile

Confirm the result in Call logs, checking the caller shown is your mobile and not your office line.
Avoid simultaneous ring with Recepta.ai in the group. The AI answers within a ring or two, so it wins the race essentially every time and your team never gets the call.

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After-hours forwarding

RingCentral supports custom answering rules driven by a schedule. Create a rule covering your closed hours whose action forwards to your Recepta.ai number, and leave your business-hours rule untouched. That gives you humans by day and the AI overnight without disturbing your daytime setup. Include weekends and public holidays — a rule covering weeknights only leaves Saturday callers hitting voicemail.

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Troubleshooting

You’re on the Auto-Receptionist, which can’t forward externally. Route it to a user extension and set the forward there.
Voicemail is intercepting before the forward. Lower the ring count that triggers voicemail, or order voicemail after the forwarding step in call handling.
The rule is on a different extension from the one your number actually rings. Trace the number to its real destination before editing.
Caller ID isn’t passing through. Revisit the caller ID setting for forwarded calls and choose the original caller’s number.
Check the number is entered correctly with its country code, and that no dial-plan prefix (like a leading 9) has been prepended.
Texts to your RingCentral number are not forwarded — SMS and voice are separate. See How call forwarding works.